Copilot for work(flows)—Agents, actions, and amplifying your impact

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This month, we’re diving into the latest AI innovations like Copilot Actions, Microsoft Copilot Studio, and agents. These tools go beyond individual productivity—they can help enhance collaboration, processes, and even entire business functions. You’ll also find top resources to help you elevate how you use Copilot every day. 

The sky’s the limit with Copilot, and the latest announcements from Microsoft Ignite showcase how it’s continuing to evolve. We’re highlighting key updates that are bringing even more functionality to Copilot—and bringing you new ways to streamline your work and take on even your biggest challenges with confidence. 

Automate what slows you down with Copilot Actions 

Some tasks are the ultimate grind—boring, repetitive, and a real time drain. Enter: Copilot Actions. Take the hassle off your plate and easily delegate actions to Copilot with customizable templates (simple, fill-in-the-blank prompts that you can set and forget). From generating end-of-day briefings to status updates, Actions handles repetitive tasks in the background—so you can focus on the bigger picture. They can even be paired with AI agents for even greater workflow efficiencies and process improvements (more on this below). 

Here are a few examples of actions you could set up:   

• Summarize budget updates ahead of monthly finance meetings. 
• Compile a report and send a summary of your team’s project progress every Friday afternoon.  

• Schedule a weekly digest of onboarding tasks completed and pending for new hires.  

• Get an email when you get back from vacation that summarizes the mountains of things you missed. 

Create, manage, and connect agents to Copilot in Copilot Studio 

The real challenge isn’t just handling the grind—it's juggling big projects, keeping everyone on the same page, and trying to stay ahead (or at least on track) when everything’s moving fast. What if you had a team of helpers to streamline some of the toughest parts and make your work feel a whole lot easier? Meet your not-so-secret agents, AI agents in Microsoft 365. 

Microsoft 365 Copilot is where you interact with agents. And Copilot Studio is the place to build and customize them. With Copilot Studio, you can easily create agents using agent builder, no dev skills required, or configure prebuilt agents based on your needs. Agents make work better—helping you reclaim time for what matters most, giving teams the tools to achieve more together, and empowering businesses to reach new levels of efficiency and impact. 

Learn more about the latest innovations announced at Ignite > 

What exactly are agents, you ask? 

Agents are like apps for an AI-powered world. And you can’t talk about scaling AI for business and streamlining processes without talking about them.  

In simplest terms, AI agents are changing the way we work by helping with tasks alongside you or taking care of things for you. They can range from simple prompt-and-response agents like chatbots to fully autonomous agents, which can run a workflow or process from start to finish.  

A key piece of Microsoft 365 Copilot is that it can be used to interact with various agents, providing new ways for organizations to empower employees and streamline how work gets done across teams. From sales and customer service to supply chain operations and finance, agents can handle a wide range of common business workflows. 

You can choose from purpose-built agents available in Microsoft 365, designed to address common business scenarios, or create agents in Copilot Studio to tackle more specific or complex needs. Agents provide the flexibility to adapt AI to your unique workflows or business needs, helping you streamline processes and boost productivity. 

These are just a few examples of how you could use agents in your workday: 

• Answers at your fingertips: You can interact with agents in SharePoint to quickly get real-time information and insights from the site. Whether you’re a new hire looking for onboarding guidance or diving into the latest team updates, agents help deliver what you need right where you need it. 

• Seamless meeting management: During a Microsoft Teams meeting, the Facilitator agent can take real-time notes for you and ensure everyone leaves the meeting on the same page. 

• No more chat overwhelm: In a busy Teams chat, the Facilitator agent could also keep track of key decisions, action items, and open questions. 

• Streamlined project planning: When starting a new project in Microsoft Planner, the Project Manager agent can set up the plan, assign tasks, send reminders, and track progress, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks. 

• Quick HR and IT support: Got an HR or IT question? The Employee Self-Service agent in Copilot Business Chat can log PTO hours, open helpdesk tickets, or answer your questions almost instantly—so you can get back to work. 

Learn more about AI agents > 

How are businesses using Copilot and agents in the real world? 

Companies are already using agents to drive revenue, reduce costs, and expand their impact. For instance, Dow, a global materials science leader, spends billions annually on outbound shipping. Even minor errors in freight invoices can result in significant overpayments. Partnering with Microsoft, Dow is piloting a solution that uses Copilot and agents to identify and track invoicing errors. Once rolled out across all shipping modes and global locations, this system is expected to enhance the accuracy of logistics rates and billing, potentially saving the company millions—yes, millions—in shipping costs within the first year. A surprise to no one—it turns out the little details can add up in big ways.  

Read how Dow is transforming its operations with Copilot > 

Top 5 Microsoft 365 Copilot resources

See it. Learn it. Use it. Dive into these practical videos and resources to see Microsoft 365 Copilot in action. Master OneDrive and Excel, discover some of the ready-built agents in Microsoft 365, explore work scenarios on how to use Copilot in your role, and check out business resources to help jump-start your AI transformation. 

1. OneDrive: Learn tips on using Copilot in OneDrive. 
2. Excel: Explore how to use Copilot in Excel with Python. 
3. Agents: Check out 10 new pre-built Microsoft 365 agents.  
4. Scenario Library: Get guides on using Copilot in your role or business function. 
5. Business success resources: Discover best practices for getting started with Copilot. 

The art of a good prompt is a bit like giving directions to your parents. It needs to be clear, specific, and leave no room for “Wait, do I turn left here?” A great prompt can also help you brainstorm and uncover new insights—and maybe even your inner superhero.  

Here’s a fun one to try this month—see how it works for you! 

Run this prompt in Copilot: Analyze my emails and Teams meetings from the last six months to create a personal brand voice document. Based on this, identify the superhero that best represents my workstyle and my superpowers. Format this as a superhero dossier with my real name and the most similar existing superhero. 

Explore more Copilot prompts to try >

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